A stranger’s act of kindness gives a child the fishing trip of a lifetime

By Shanti Lerner

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Utah (KSTU) — Principal Scheels and a young boy from Utah led a conversation about fishing into a touching gesture that will last a lifetime.

Patrick Baliboy talks to people all day long. It’s his job.

Baliboy, an Orem resident, works as fishing manager at Shells in Sandy, Utah. He assists customers with all their fishing questions.

One day, Ballyboy made an interaction that would make a long-lasting impression on him.

“One night a little boy came into Sandy’s fishing shop in the Shells, and he came up to me and it was just him,” said Baliboy. “I suppose he ran away from his mother. And he just wanted to talk about hunting.”

This little boy’s name is Xander. He was eager to learn how to fish and was inspired by his late grandfather.

“We talked about where to go, what to use, and how to cast the stick for a short while. For about 30 minutes I was casting a fishing rod with him,” Baliboy explained.

“My dad was a hunter,” said Brynn Padilla, Xander’s mother. “So he went fishing a lot. But he died two years ago and Xander couldn’t go fishing with him. So I think, for the last year, he’s been missing his grandfather, and he wishes he could go fishing with his grandfather again. So, I feel like that’s the reason why Our attempt to bring him back to order.

While they interact at Scheels’ store, Palepoi buys a fishing rod for Xander.

“It was sixty dollars,” Zander said, “and then he bought it with his own money.”

This gentle interaction touched Padilla.

“I started crying,” Xander said, pointing to his mom.

“I started crying,” Padilla said. “This kind of behavior doesn’t happen every day.”

Baliboy’s cute act was inspired by his own experience growing up with a single parent.

“When I was growing up, I had a single mother and no father figure to take me hunting or fishing or anything like that,” Baliboy said. So the Scout leaders took it upon themselves to take me fishing… It really reminded me of myself. When I was a kid, that really resonated with me.”

However, Baliboi’s generosity went further. The 22-year-old also organized a fishing trip to Strawberry Reservoir for Zander and his family. Zander was accompanied on the trip by two Shells fishing professionals to teach him.

“I felt it was my duty to pass on the good word about hunting,” Patrick said with a broad smile.

Padilla said it was the trip of a lifetime for her son.

“He came into our lives at the right time,” Brian said. “Like another expert to help Xander learn. It’s amazing that Patrick, despite his young age, does things like this. It’s just a breath of fresh air.”

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